Helping others find their greatest accomplishment

2013-01-23 13:14:26

San Juan Capistrano's Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding was founded in 1978 with one therapy horse, one rider and two volunteers.

Today, the center serves more than 400 riders every year, with 26 horses and more than 200 weekly volunteers. The center offers a variety of riding classes specifically designed to address and improve the lives of clients with disabilities.

Shea Center Executive Director Dana Butler-Moburg agreed to answer a few questions about the center's goals, methods and accomplishments.

Q. Why was the Shea Center founded?

A. The Shea Center was originally founded for one client – Michael Lewis – by his parents, Derek and Nancy Lewis.

Q. What is the goal of the center?

A. Our mission is to "improve the lives of people with disabilities through therapeutic horse-related programs."

Q. Who does the center serve?

A. We serve any person with a special need, ages 2 and up. Not all disabilities are appropriate for our mounted activities, but we have a wide array of services we offer, including physical, occupational or speech therapy. We saw more than 60 different disabilities last year with the most common ones being autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and traumatic brain injuries.

Q. What sets your organization apart from others?

A. The Shea Center is truly a community organization led by and assisted by more than 600 community members. We do what we do in an equestrian, as well as clinical setting. We also have the only inclusive fitness center at a therapeutic riding center and are one of a few facilities in Orange County with a gym developed specifically for people with disabilities of all ages to do strength, balance and coordination training to complement what they get in our equestrian setting.

Q. Does your group have any special programs/projects that it's working on?

A. We focus on our core services but, based on community need, have been reaching out to serve other special-needs populations including seniors and military personnel – active-duty or veteran – and their children or loved ones who may have a special need. Through these two programs, we are able to expand within our mission the outreach we can do to serve people with disabilities in our communities.

Q. What would you say has been the Shea Center's greatest accomplishment?

A. Our greatest accomplishment is that we help others have their greatest accomplishment. Taking your first steps at age 8, taking your first steps after you've had a stroke, speaking your first word, having the independence here and it carries over to home – those are our greatest accomplishments. We have a new state-of-the-art facility thanks to the extraordinary generosity and grace of our supporters. They gave and keep giving so our riders have the perfect setting to succeed.